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Geku Kuruvilla George

“A city should have an icon building by which it would be known and identified with. It should be futuristic, yet merge with the environment. Kerala is yet to have an icon building,” says Geku Kuruvilla George.

He will not need an introduction for architects. But for the uninitiated, he is an architect who has left his imprint on design and architecture in 16 countries.

“It is for the people to decide whether a building should become iconic. But if a structure is appreciated for its design, 50 per cent of the job is done,” he remarks. “The world of architecture is changing fast. Gone are the days when you had to pore over designs on your drawing board. Technological changes have now made it possible to design buildings that might seem fantastic to the ordinary eye, but have in fact been executed and delivered to clients.”

Geku is currently Director, Atkins, U.K., a global design firm with 175 offices worldwide, projects in over 150 countries and employing 17,000 people. Geku was in Thiruvananthapuram the other day, giving a glimpse to architects, former colleagues and the uninitiated of the changing world of global architecture.

When he says a building should be futuristic, he means it. Because some of the projects he has been involved in have been nothing but that. These include the Burj Al Arab, Dubai, the tallest seven-star hotel in the world.

He was involved in the designs for Incheon city, involving development of an area of 2.25 million sq m, and hotel, leisure and residential projects in Indonesia, Turkey, Thailand and the U.S.

“A building should be able to adapt to the environment. The structure of the building should be able to efficiently utilise energy,” says Geku, explaining his concept of architectural designs. International designs address issues such as evacuation, energy use and earthquake compliance. Facilities for the disabled are a must in these structures.

Geku, who started his career with a firm in Thiruvananthapuram, says he was fortunate to be in the right place at the right time and fortunate enough to work on mega projects. It was sheer hard work that saw him go up the ranks in Atkins.

“We have to work at a hectic pace to translate clients’ ideas into designs and further on to make them materialise. In between, we have to conduct a detailed study of the environment, the characteristics of the area. There are times when the turnaround from idea to design has been as short as three weeks.” Of course, technology has brought a huge change, helping architects design better buildings, ensure quality and use superior materials that conserve energy.

“We have one of the finest technical education systems in the world, producing high quality engineering workforce. But opportunities are limited because there aren’t many mega projects,” he says. His prescription: regulations have to be strictly enforced. Importantly, planners and architects should be involved in the development of an area in the city.

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